Photo-Sharing App Smackdown: Instagram Vs EyeEm

I've been on the fence about leaving Instagram. I've backed up all my Instagram photos and made the conscious decision to stop posting pics of my wife and kids on the popular photo sharing site (Won't be selling my babies online).

The EyeEm photo-sharing and discovery app has been around for a while and has recently got some airplay after Facebook Instagram's recent PR nightmare. So I decided to log back in and see if it has the chops to be an safe-haven for Instagram defectors.

"It Ain't No Fun..."

First and foremost, EyeEm is available on more devices - It has a native app for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone, in addition to a feature-rich website (You can't upload photos, but just about every other mobile feature is accessible on the web as well. Instagram is iOS and Android on the mobile front, and the website only lets you interact with your own photos. So, the potential to share with more users is there.

Advantage: EyeEm

Mobile Photog

Snapping new pics or uploading photos from your camera roll is standard. I do like how EyeEm does not force you to cut out some of the original photo if you pull from your camera roll. The app also gives you the option of tapping buttons or gesture swipes to Add desired filters/effects to photos. On the Flipside, Instagram does have more filter options than EyeEm. I'm assuming the majority of Instagram users really don't mess with filters at all.

Advantage: EyeEm

Tagged

After you have uploaded and edited your photo to your liking, you have the option of adding your own caption similar to Instagram, or use one of the app's default titles (called "Recommendations") to describe the photo. "Hanging out", "Taking photos", "Hello world", "Relaxing" are just some of the captions available. You can search other recommendations or you can create your own. searching a recommendation will give you a number of how many other user's have used it to tag their photos. You then have the option of adding a location to your photo.

Advantage: EyeEm

Sharing Is Sexy

After you are done tagging your photo, you have option of sharing it to the same networks as Instagram: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Foursquare, and LinkedIn. Instagram also adds Facebook Pages and email (just in case Granny doesn't get down with social networking sites).

As you can imagine, Instagram photos work well when uploaded to Facebook. EyeEm photos on Facebook are little thumbnails with a link to the larger pic on your EyeEm account on its website. Now that Instagram and Twitter are beefing, uploading pics to Twitter using EyeEm has the reverse effect - Full images show up on Twitter using EyeEm versus a link to your account on Instagram.

Advantage: Tie (Depending on which social network you use the most)

Social Butterfly

Both apps have their own built-in social networks where users can search, view, like and/or comment on each other's photos, in addition to discovering "trending" images. Instagram uses hashtags and EyeEm uses those captions I mentioned earlier. Instagram lets you use your own caption and add hashtags, versus EyeEm where you have to choose between your own caption or adding a recommendation. Using the recommendations give you the ability to quickly discover new photos and other users and entire photo communities.

EyeEm also has a "left pane" view where you have more options than Instagram to discover more content, in addition to creating, sharing and inviting others to add to photo albums. But; Instagram is still hanging in there with only 90 Million users. So while discovery on EyEm is easier, the sheer amount of content on Instagram is worth a mention (or 90 Million).

As different, solid, and refreshing EyeEm is, Instagram has been around for a while and is the "team to beat" (should be good games on TV this weekend). It has the clout of Facebook behind it, as well as its own massive following that should make it impervious to attack from newer apps. But; the "Streets is Watching" and if Facebook Instagram isn't careful, a little guy could emerge to cause it some trouble.

Honestly speaking, EyeEm won't eclipse Instagram anytime soon, but it does that guts to be the number one alternative for those looking to start a new photo-sharing app trend. I will definitely playing around with the app for the next couple weeks to see if I actually jump the Instagram ship for good.

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